Tissue box

ABSTRACT

A tissue box ( 10 ) for dispensing tissues, said tissue box includes a bottom wall ( 18 ) having a second aperture ( 21 ) for allowing tissues ( 22, 22 ′) to be pulled from inside of the box and a side wall ( 14 ) extending between the top wall ( 16 ) and the bottom wall ( 18 ). The side wall defines a void inside the box for containing tissues. The tissue box also includes a dividing wall ( 24 ) within the void. The dividing wall is supported between the top wall and the bottom wall and is for dividing the tissues into a first group ( 22 ) that are able to be removed through the first aperture ( 20 ) and a second group ( 22 ′) that are able to be removed through the second aperture. In use, after the first group of tissues is used, the box may be inverted, so that the second group of tissues may be used.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a tissue box for dispensingtissues.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Tissue boxes, for dispensing tissues are well known. However,current tissue boxes suffer from problems, particularly in the case oflarger sized tissue boxes, when there is only a minority of tissuesremaining in the box. There is a tendency for the next tissue (whichshould be protruding from the aperture) to drop back into the box. Theuser must put a hand through the aperture into the box to remove atissue to restart the run of tissues. This can be quite difficultespecially if a tissue is needed in a hurry and often results in anumber of tissues coming out, which is wasteful. If this only happened afew times in the life of the box it would be acceptable, but as the pileof tissues remaining in the box, particularly with larger sized boxes,reduces from about half to one third remaining, the problem graduallygets worse until the last 20% or 10% of tissues result in a failure ofcontinuity for most of the remaining tissues. Due to the distancebetween the aperture at the top of the box and the base of the box wherethe tissues rest, a large portion of the protruding tissue is notsupported by the base. Consequently, the weight of this unsupportedportion often causes the tissue to fall back into the box.

[0003] For economy and other reasons it is desirable to put a largenumber of tissues in the one box. However, this necessarily increasesthe size of box and exacerbates the above mentioned problem.

[0004] There have been some attempts to overcome this problem in thepast, these include having the underneath of the box able to be pushedupwardly so as to reduce the height between the tissues and theaperture. However, this solution is generally unreliable, ineffectiveand costly.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] An object of the present is to provide a tissue box whichprovides a new means of overcoming the above mentioned problem.

[0006] According to the present invention there is provided a tissue boxfor dispensing tissues, said tissue box including:

[0007] a top wall having a first aperture for allowing tissues to bepulled from inside of the box;

[0008] a bottom wall having a second aperture for allowing tissues to bepulled from inside of the box;

[0009] a side wall extending between the top wall and the bottom wall,the side wall defining a void inside the box for containing tissues; and

[0010] a dividing means within the void, supported between the top walland the bottom wall for dividing the tissues into a first group that areable to be removed through the first aperture and a second group thatare able to be removed through the second aperture,

[0011] whereby, in use, after the first group of tissues is used, thebox may be inverted, whereupon the second group of tissues may be used.

[0012] Preferably the dividing means is in the form of a dividing wall.More preferably the dividing means is arranged to be supported by asupport means, such that the weight of the second group of tissues doesnot significantly sag the dividing means too far from the aperture. Morepreferably the dividing means is positioned approximately half to twothirds of the way between the top wall and the bottom wall.

[0013] Preferably, the dividing means is connected to the side wall.More preferably the dividing means is supported by longitudinallyextending flaps that are folded down in between the folded end flaps ofthe box. Alternatively, the dividing means is provided by a secondtissue box with both bottom walls for each tissue box secured to oneanother. In another embodiment the dividing means is provided by thebase of a first box attached to a side wall of a bottomless second box.In yet another embodiment, the dividing means is part of a selfsupporting insert.

[0014] Preferably, the side wall is comprised of opposed end walls andopposed lateral walls, arranged to form a rectangle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0015] In order to provide a better understanding, preferred embodimentsof the present invention will be described in greater detail, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0016]FIG. 1 is an upper perspective view of a first embodiment of atissue box according to the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a side view of the tissue box of FIG. 1;

[0018]FIG. 3 is an end view of a tissue box of FIG. 1;

[0019]FIG. 4 is a side view of a second embodiment of a tissue box inaccordance with the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 5 is a side view of a third embodiment of a tissue box inaccordance with the present invention;

[0021]FIG. 6 is an end view of a fourth embodiment of a tissue box inaccordance with the present invention;

[0022]FIG. 7 is a side view of a fifth embodiment of a tissue box inaccordance with the present invention; and,

[0023]FIG. 8 is an end view of a sixth embodiment of a tissue box inaccordance with the present invention.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a tissue box 10 whichincludes opposed lateral walls 12, opposed end walls 14, a bottom wall18 and a top wall 16. The walls are arranged in a standard rectangularprism shape of an ordinary tissue box. The top wall includes an aperture20 through which tissues 22 may be drawn from the inside of the box.

[0025] The box is also provided with a dividing floor 24 intermediatethe bottom wall 18 and the top wall 16. The floor 24 is approximatelyone half to two thirds of the way between the top wall 16 and the bottomwall 18. In addition, opposite the first aperture 20 is a secondaperture 21 in the bottom wall 18.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the floor 24 is provided with endflaps 28 at each end of the box. The flaps 28 overlap with flaps 30 fromthe bottom wall 18 of the box. A further flap 26, from the top wall,overlaps the flap 28. These are then secured in place with adhesive 29.This arrangement provides two compartments, within which a first groupof tissues 22 is able to be supported on the floor 24, and a secondgroup of tissues 22′ located beneath the floor 24.

[0027] When the top wall 16 is above the bottom wall 18, that is, whenthe box is right way up, the floor 24 is provided with support due tothe floor 24 resting on the ends of the flaps 30. Additional support isprovided by the second group of tissues 22′ being beneath the floor 24.

[0028] When the first group of tissues 22 has been removed, the tissuebox may inverted. The second group of tissues 22′ is then accessedthrough to second aperture 21. The floor 24 may sag a little as it isnot supported from underneath. However, since the second group oftissues is less than the first group and the distance from the floor 24to the aperture 21 is also less, the sagging is not significant.

[0029] In FIG. 4 another embodiment of the tissue box 10 comprises twosmall tissue boxes 11 and 13 which are coupled together by adhesive 29at a bottom wall 27 of the first box 11 and bottom wall 25 of the secondbox 13. In this case, the floor 24 comprises the walls 25 and 27.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 5, in this embodiment a smaller box 11 is atthe bottom of the tissue box 10 and the top wall 16 and sides are formedby wall portions 26 which are secured by adhesive 29 to the end wallsand side of the smaller box 11. The floor 24 is formed of the bottomwall of the smaller box 11.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 6, in this embodiment the box 10 is made from alarge box with an insert forming the floor 24. The insert is fixed tothe lateral walls, rather than the end walls by a flap 32 of the floor24. The flap 32 is secured to the lateral walls 12 by adhesive 29.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 7, in this embodiment the floor 24 of the box10 is contiguous with one of the flaps 30 from the bottom wall 18. Thefloor 24 extends across the length of the box whereupon a flap 28, atone end of the floor 24, then overlaps the other flap 30′ and is securedby adhesive 29. Flaps 26 from the top wall then overlap the first flap30 and the second flap 30′, which are secured with adhesive 29.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 8, in this embodiment the floor 24 is part ofan insert 40 in the box which has inner side walls 42 that extendtowards the bottom wall 18. These support the floor 24 in the box whenit is in the upright position. There is a fold at the bottom of theinner side walls which continues with an upper portion 40 that supportsthe floor 24 above the upper wall 16 when in the inverted position.

[0034] It is desirable that the second group of tissues 22′ be smallerthan the first group of tissues 22 so that when the box is inverted,there is less weight on the floor which then is no longer supportedunderneath by a stack of tissues. Furthermore, it is normal for there tobe some form of decoration and/or advertising on the tissue box. It isless desirable to have this upside down for the majority of the durationof use of the box.

[0035] Now that the preferred forms of the present invention have beendescribed, it will be clear that the present invention has at least thefollowing advantages:

[0036] Tissues near the bottom of the box will be closer to the secondaperture after inversion of the box and will be readily and continuouslyremovable. In addition, the support means for supporting the artificialfloor may be incorporated into the tissue box with minimal additionalcost in manufacture and loading of the box.

[0037] It will be clear to the skilled addressee that modifications andvariations can be made to the present invention without departing fromthe basic inventive concept. There may be other configurations forsupporting the floor and construction of the box. Such modifications andvariations are intended to be within the scope of the present inventionthe nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description.

1. A tissue box for dispensing tissues, said tissue box including: a topwall having a first aperture for allowing tissues to be pulled frominside of the box; a bottom wall having a second aperture for allowingtissues to be pulled from inside of the box; a side wall extendingbetween the top wall and the bottom wall, the side wall defining a voidinside the box for containing tissues; and a dividing means within thevoid, supported between the top wall and the bottom wall for dividingthe tissues into a first group that are able to be removed through thefirst aperture and a second group that are able to be removed throughthe second aperture, whereby, in use, after the first group of tissuesis used, the box may be inverted, whereupon the second group of tissuesmay be used.
 2. A tissue box according to claim 1, wherein the dividingmeans is in the form of a dividing wall.
 3. A tissue box according toclaim 1, wherein the dividing means is arranged to be supported by asupport means such that the weight of the second group of tissues doesnot significantly sag the dividing means.
 4. A tissue box according toclaim 1, wherein the dividing means is positioned approximately half totwo thirds of the way between the top wall and the bottom wall.
 5. Atissue box according to claim 1, wherein the dividing means is connectedto the side wall.
 6. A tissue box according to claim 1, wherein thedividing means is supported by longitudinally extending flaps that arefolded down in between the folded end flaps of the box.
 7. A tissue boxaccording to claim 1, wherein the dividing means is provided by a secondtissue box with both bottom walls for each tissue box secured to oneanother.
 8. A tissue box according to claim 1, wherein the dividingmeans is provided by the base of a first box attached to a side wall ofa bottomless second box.
 9. A tissue box according to claim 1, whereinthe dividing means is part of a self supporting insert.
 10. A tissue boxaccording to claim 1, wherein the side wall is comprised of opposed endwalls and opposed lateral walls, arranged to form a rectangle.